CaptainCoulson

The difference between Gestures and Complex Gestures is just that a part of the Special Effects of the power becomes more complex, and therefore potentially more likely to fail or be stopped, and less likely to be replicable. For you to cast a spell that takes Complex Gestures, for instance, might mean that you have to be able to move your fingers in certain positions which you couldn't achieve if, for example, you were in a car accident that damaged the nerves in your hands. On the other hand, simple Gestures might allow you to do the same spell without even having that hand, because you just need to point your wrist in the right direction, since you have the special effects saying that your will to make magic happen is focussed enough that missing a hand is not an impediment. In this instance, "Gestures" is something like pointing roughly in the direction you want the spell to go, while "Complex Gestures" is a precise way of holding your fingers, while pointing exactly at the target.
 
Basically, if you want more of a limitation from the Gestures limitation, you take it as a Complex Limitation to let the GM know that this is your power's weakpoint, more so than ever.

In Hero Designer when adding limitations to powers, when you select gestures the program allows us to select 'complex' with those gestures for an additional -1/4 limitation bonus. I have no idea what changes between complex gestures and regular gestures to make it worth more of a limitation. Does anyone have a clue?
 
It is not in the main rule books. Anyone know where this is defined?

Hero Designer allows us to take both complex gestures and requires both hands, both of which add an additional -1/4 limitation. If you take gestures and flag both complex gestures and requires both hands, it gives you a -3/4 limitation.

I you waggle a few fingers and wave an arm, then it's a normal gesture. If you have to do the Hokey Pokey or equivalent, it's complex gestures.

Using guitar playing as an analogy:
 
Horse with no name is a very simple song to learn how to play.  It is two chords that are in the same position on the neck and are easy to switch between.  The strumming pattern isn't hard to learn.  I think it took me about a day or so to learn it.  See this Youtube lesson I found https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t2OCGN6AspY
 
And then you have Flamenco guitar playing https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cv2Fyjk0GGM which takes years of constant practice to learn how to do.
 

Simple: "Victory" sign while gazing at your target.
Complex: ASL interpretation for The Realm Slim Shady while twirling your Focus (burning censer)

Simple: flipping the bird.
Complex: playing Cat's Cradle.

The “OK” gesture—-Simple Gesture
American Sign Language for “beautiful day”——Complex Gesture

Limitation: Looks like a dork while using it (-1/4 to -1/2, depending on how mean your fellow PCs are).

If you have to do the Hokey Pokey, that's arguably Restrainable as well.

This is just how I adjudicate complex gestures vs regular gestures.  Other GMs may adjudicate otherwise.
 
If you have no issues doing something else with your hands, it's not worth the limitation gestures.  
If you can do something else with your hands but it might ruin what you are doing unless you succeed on a Dex roll, its normal gestures.
If you can't do something else with your hands, its complex gestures.

The difference between Gestures and Complex Gestures is just that a part of the Special Effects of the power becomes more complex, and therefore potentially more likely to fail or be stopped, and less likely to be replicable. For you to cast a spell that takes Complex Gestures, for instance, might mean that you have to be able to move your fingers in certain positions which you couldn't achieve if, for example, you were in a car accident that damaged the nerves in your hands. On the other hand, simple Gestures might allow you to do the same spell without even having that hand, because you just need to point your wrist in the right direction, since you have the special effects saying that your will to make magic happen is focussed enough that missing a hand is not an impediment. In this instance, "Gestures" is something like pointing roughly in the direction you want the spell to go, while "Complex Gestures" is a precise way of holding your fingers, while pointing exactly at the target.
 
Basically, if you want more of a limitation from the Gestures limitation, you take it as a Complex Limitation to let the GM know that this is your power's weakpoint, more so than ever.

The difference between Gestures and Complex Gestures is just that a part of the Special Effects of the power becomes more complex, and therefore potentially more likely to fail or be stopped, and less likely to be replicable. For you to cast a spell that takes Complex Gestures, for instance, might mean that you have to be able to move your fingers in certain positions which you couldn't achieve if, for example, you were in a car accident that damaged the nerves in your hands. On the other hand, simple Gestures might allow you to do the same spell without even having that hand, because you just need to point your wrist in the right direction, since you have the special effects saying that your will to make magic happen is focussed enough that missing a hand is not an impediment. In this instance, "Gestures" is something like pointing roughly in the direction you want the spell to go, while "Complex Gestures" is a precise way of holding your fingers, while pointing exactly at the target.
 
Basically, if you want more of a limitation from the Gestures limitation, you take it as a Complex Limitation to let the GM know that this is your power's weakpoint, more so than ever.

Players must PRE-define the powers and have them approved BEFORE play starts. No creation when your phase is up.

So I have built myself a Fantasy Hero character and, with permission from the GM, have an instinctive magician, small VPP that allows me to hurry spells, dispense with gestures, with concentration or any other element as desired.
 
What would Gandalph's character do to interrupt my spellcasting?  Anything guaranteed to work RAW? 
 
All Duke has said is that it might be different in every game and there may be some games in which you cannot interrupt spellcasting.
 
Doc

I really hate the way you throw downvotes around...  😞  It makes me want to retaliate and that does not lead to a discursive evironment.
 
Anyway - just because the OP might assume a player holds an action and uses the gestures and incantations as a trigger does not mean it would work in any given game.  If he does so he would be unable to interrupt my wizard in his spellcasting.  If that is what he spent his points on, and our GM allowed that too, he might have questions for that GM.
 
D&D is designed such that spells are interruptable, it is the base condition in that game.  HERO is not designed such that spells are interruptable, it is not the base condition.  HERO might allow for that to be the base condition in a game but noone should build their character without checking with the GM how the magic system works and whether any assumptions made are correct.
 
Doc
 
 

How is Reputation determined and what does it mean?

It's based on reactions to your posts. Click on your name in the upper right. Go to "Profile". Click on the green reputation box on the upper left there. It will show you a breakdown of reactions to your posts.

If you click on your name, top right corner and then select Account Settings you should see where to create an Signature

I have a Facebook page that I am using for a discussion forum for Star Wars, roleplaying games, and writing in general.  I would the link in my signature at the bottom of my posts, but I am seeing where I can add a signature, and I want to make sure there isn't a rule violation for doing that.

The difference between Gestures and Complex Gestures is just that a part of the Special Effects of the power becomes more complex, and therefore potentially more likely to fail or be stopped, and less likely to be replicable. For you to cast a spell that takes Complex Gestures, for instance, might mean that you have to be able to move your fingers in certain positions which you couldn't achieve if, for example, you were in a car accident that damaged the nerves in your hands. On the other hand, simple Gestures might allow you to do the same spell without even having that hand, because you just need to point your wrist in the right direction, since you have the special effects saying that your will to make magic happen is focussed enough that missing a hand is not an impediment. In this instance, "Gestures" is something like pointing roughly in the direction you want the spell to go, while "Complex Gestures" is a precise way of holding your fingers, while pointing exactly at the target.
 
Basically, if you want more of a limitation from the Gestures limitation, you take it as a Complex Limitation to let the GM know that this is your power's weakpoint, more so than ever.

That to me makes no sense. AoE at base level affects EVERYONE unless modified. So why should this be any different?

Yeah.....that’s the point. If I create a safe bubble then anyone in the bubble should be affected by it. 

Add my name to the list of people who think this would be unnecessary. I see AoE and UBO as fundamentally different, even if (in some scenarios) the effect is similar. With AoE, the original user is the only one with the power, even though it affects an area. With UBO, the recipients actually possess the power. This distinction is most clear with Attack powers.

Wasn’t Gomez originally supposed to be betrothed to Ophelia, Morticia’s older sister?   Also played by Carolyn Jones she had blonde hair and had flowers growing out of her head.  (If you tried to pluck one her leg would fly up)